2016 Virginia Tech 3104-1577 (ENTO-192NP) Flour and Grain Beetles Eric Day, Department of Entomology, Virginia Tech Introduction: Flour and grain beetles are small brown beetles that infest grain, flour, and animal feed. They degrade the quality of the product but are harmless if accidentally ingested. Discarding the infested food and sealing remaining foods and feeds in tight containers controls both beetles. Sawtoothed Grain Beetle - Coleoptera: Silvanidae Description: The adult is a small, active, brown beetle, 2-3mm long, with a flattened body and six saw-toothed projections on each side of the thorax. The larva is yellowish-white, about 2-3mm long, with a brown head. The abdomen tapers toward the tip. The sawtoothed grain beetle (Oryzaephilus surinamensis) is a common pest known throughout most of the world. A closely related species, Oryzaephilus mercator, is also important and is often mistaken for the sawtoothed grain beetle. Size: 1/10 to 1/8 inch (2-3mm). Color: Brown. Habitat: The sawtoothed grain beetle is a common pest in grocery stores, food warehouses, and grain storage. Life Cycle: The females live from 6 to 10 months and deposit 45 to 285 eggs in foodstuffs. Several generations may occur each year, as the life cycle requires only 3 to 4 weeks during the summer. Type of Damage: It readily penetrates packaged cereals, dried fruits, and candies. It also attacks flour, meal, sugar, drugs, dried meat, and tobacco. Cultural Control: Controlling this pantry pest requires careful inspection of all cereal foods, discarding the heavily infested material, repackaging material in new containers, and vacuuming kitchen cabinets. Vacuuming the cabinets will be much more beneficial than washing them. Vacuuming will remove flour dust and scraps in the cracks and crevices of the cabinet. Washing may make a paste of the flour. Interesting Facts: Adults do not fly and live about 6 to 10 months, with some living up to three years. Flour Beetles, Tribolium sp. Description: The confused flour beetle and the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum) are similar in appearance and habits. Adult confused flour beetles have the antennae gradually enlarged toward the tip; the antennae of the red flour beetle have the last three segments abruptly enlarged. Tribolium confusum cannot fly, but Tribolium castaneum may fly. The elongate, reddish-brown beetles are about 3-4mm long, with a distinct joint between the thorax and abdomen. Size: About 1/8 inch (3-4mm). Color: Reddish-brown.

Flour and Grain Beetles - Virginia Tech the quality of the product but are harmless if accidentally ingested. ... The sawtoothed grain beetle is a common pest in grocery stores

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2016 Virginia Tech 3104-1577 (ENTO-192NP)

FlourandGrainBeetles

EricDay,DepartmentofEntomology,VirginiaTech

Introduction:Flourandgrainbeetlesaresmallbrownbeetlesthatinfestgrain,flour,andanimalfeed.Theydegradethequalityoftheproductbutareharmlessifaccidentallyingested. Discardingtheinfestedfoodandsealingremainingfoodsandfeedsintightcontainerscontrolsbothbeetles.

SawtoothedGrainBeetle-Coleoptera:Silvanidae

Description:Theadultisasmall,active,brownbeetle,2-3mmlong,withaflattenedbodyandsixsaw-toothedprojectionsoneachsideofthethorax.Thelarvaisyellowish-white,about2-3mmlong,withabrownhead.Theabdomen tapers toward the tip. The sawtoothed grain beetle (Oryzaephilussurinamensis)isacommonpestknownthroughoutmostoftheworld.Acloselyrelatedspecies,Oryzaephilusmercator, isalso importantandisoftenmistakenforthesawtoothedgrainbeetle.Size:1/10to1/8inch(2-3mm).Color:Brown.

Habitat:Thesawtoothedgrainbeetleisacommonpestingrocerystores,foodwarehouses,andgrainstorage.

LifeCycle:Thefemaleslivefrom6to10monthsanddeposit45to285eggsinfoodstuffs. Several generationsmayoccur eachyear, as the life cycle requiresonly3to4weeksduringthesummer.

Type of Damage: It readily penetrates packaged cereals, dried fruits, andcandies.Italsoattacksflour,meal,sugar,drugs,driedmeat,andtobacco.

CulturalControl:Controllingthispantrypestrequirescarefulinspectionofallcereal foods, discarding the heavily infestedmaterial, repackagingmaterial innew containers, and vacuuming kitchen cabinets. Vacuuming the cabinetswill bemuchmore beneficial thanwashingthem.Vacuumingwillremoveflourdustandscrapsinthecracksandcrevicesofthecabinet.Washingmaymakeapasteoftheflour.

InterestingFacts:Adultsdonotflyandliveabout6to10months,withsomelivinguptothreeyears.

FlourBeetles,Triboliumsp.

Description: The confused flour beetle and the red flour beetle(Triboliumcastaneum)aresimilarinappearanceandhabits.Adultconfused flour beetles have the antennae gradually enlargedtoward the tip; the antennae of the red flour beetle have the lastthree segments abruptly enlarged.Tribolium confusum cannot fly,but Tribolium castaneum may fly. The elongate, reddish-brownbeetles are about 3-4mm long, with a distinct joint between thethorax and abdomen. Size: About 1/8 inch (3-4mm). Color:Reddish-brown.

Page 2: Flour and Grain Beetles - Virginia Tech the quality of the product but are harmless if accidentally ingested. ... The sawtoothed grain beetle is a common pest in grocery stores

Habitat: These beetles are very common pestsinfesting many flourmills, warehouses, and grocerystores.Theyalsofeedupongrain,beans,driedfruits,nuts,chocolate,andotherfoodsinthehouse.LifeCycle: Theadult femalemay live for as longastwo years, depositing 300 to 400 eggs. The maturelarva is brownish-white, has six legs, and is up to13mmlong.Thelifecyclerequiresonetofourmonthswhentemperaturesarefavorable.Type of Damage: Flour beetles attackmilled grainproducts such as flour and cereals. These beetlesoften hitchhike into the house in infested flour andcan build up into large populations on foodaccumulations in cabinet cracks and crevices and infurniture.

CulturalControl:Controlofthesepestsbeginswiththelocationoftheinfestedfood.Athoroughcleanup,usingavacuumcleanertogetintothecracksandcrevices,willcontrolthispest.InterestingFacts:ConfusedflourbeetlesarethemostabundantandinjuriousinsectpestsofflourmillsintheUnitedStates.